Fluorescent lighting fixture



Sept. 26, 1950 c. NlTARDY FLUORESCENT LIGHTING FIXTQRE Filed Jan. 29, 1945 1N VEN TOR.

CARL Mmzwr Arrony Patented Sept. 26, 1950 FLUORESCENT LIGHTING FIXTURE Carl Nitardy, New York, N. Y., assignor to Syl Vania Electric Products Inc., Salem, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 29, 1945, Serial No. 575,092 1 Claim. (c1. 24-0-5111) 1 This invention relates to electric lighting fixtures and particularly to fixtures for electric dis- 7 charge lamps such as, fluorescent lamps.

An object of the invention is a fixture for suspension from or attachment to aceiling. j A further object is a fixture which will not produce a sharp shadow on the ceiling and which will distribute the light in an effective manner pleasing to the eye. 7

Still another object is a fixture having sheaths to cover the lamp sockets and to prevent lamps from dropping out of the fixture on becoming loose in their sockets.

One feature of the invention is such a sheath and other featuresare a row of parallel tubular lamps, a central reflector for increasin the downward light from the lamps and an open structure over the tops of the outside lamps to enable radiation of some light toward the ceiling.

Other features,,advantages, and objects willbe fully apparent when the following description is taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the fixture; Figure 2 is a transverse cross section on line 2--2;

Figure 3 is a section in plane 3-3; and

Figure 4 is a schematic drawing showing the parts of the fixture chassis.

In the figures, the lamps I, 2, 3, 4 are supported at each of their ends by sockets 5, 6, I, 8, as shown in Figure 2. The sockets are supported from the channels 9 and I0, bein held thereto, for example, by the screws I2, I3, I4 and their corresponding nuts I5, I 6, ll, l8. The channels 9, II) are closed at their transverse ends I9, 29. The lower channel piece 2|, for example, is also closed at its transverse ends 22 and 25 and one of said ends suchas 22, may be hinged to the corresponding end IS in channel 9. The hinge 23 may be employed for fixing ends I9 and 25 together or if desired, the ends I9 and 25 may themselves form the hinge, being joined by an appropriate pin. The other end 22 of channel 2| will be in register with end of channel 9. A spring latch may be employed to hold ends 22 and 20 together if desired, although I prefer to use the screw 35 which fits into arm 36 for this purpose. The hinges and latch may be omitted, if desired, and the lower channel 2| held only by this screw 35, thus making the channels detachable. The channel 9 may include appropriatestarter sockets 2B and 21 with their corresponding starters 28 and 29 of a convenient conventional type, if desired. The channels 9 and 2| when locked together form a sheath for the sockets 5, 6, I, 3 hiding them from view, enclosing the wiring, and preventing the lamps I, 2, 3, 4 from falling out of. the fixture should they becomeloo se in the sockets. To achieve the latter purpose, openings 30, 3|, 32,and 33 are present in the closed sheath for passage of the lamp ends therethrou-gh into the sockets 5, 6, I and 8. The inside wall 34 of the channel will serve to hold the lamp up if the lamp becomes loose in the socket.

The channel sheaths I0 and 2| at the other end of the fixture will of course, be the same as, and facing, channels 9 and 2| so that the corresponding parts will be in register with each other. It will ordinarily be convenient to have the channels hinged together so that they open in the same direction as in Figure 4. The housings 31 and 38 extend from the middle of the upper channels 9 and ID to join the latter to the main longitudinal channel 39 which serves to support the end channels 9 and Ill and the reflector 4|), forming with said, reflector an enclosed housing for the conventional ballasts 4| and 42. Each ballast will ordinarily supply two lamps. The edges 43 and 44 of the reflector 40 will fit overthe sides 45 and 46 of the longitudinal channel 39. The supporting arm 41 may have the tabs 48 and 5| attached to the'refiector 40 by the screws 49 and 5|). One such bracket with its corresponding tabs 48 and 5| will be present at each longitudinal end of the reflector. The reflector may have the two parallel crimps 52 and 53 near each of its edges 43 and 44 for rigidity and to insure that the reflector edges 44 and 43 rest securely over the sides 45 and 45 of the longitudinal channel 39. The ballasts 4| may be attached to the channel 39 in any appropriate manner but I prefer to use the bracket 55 with screws 56, 51, and 58 and their accompanying nuts 59, 69 and GI. In order to hold parts 31, 38 and 39 together screws may be passed through holes 62, 63, B4, 65, 66, 61, 68, 69, 1!], II and secured with nuts if desired. The lips 12 and 13 may be present on the outer edges of channel 2|.

The reflector 40, longitudinal channel 39, the transverse channels 9, l0, 2|, and their interconnecting pieces 31 and 38 are preferably made of metal, for example, steel. This will protect the wiring and give a fixture of good strength. The starting voltage of the lamps will generally be lower and more consistent when metal is used, particularly if the lamps are to be started instantly, without preheating of the cathodes.

The reflector. 40 and other metal parts are best finished in white baked enamel or plastic,

but I prefer finish of satin aluminum or other metal for the sheaths 9, I0, 2|.

Nearly all of the light from the outside lamps I and 4 is radiated directly rather than by reflection. Since there is no reflector above these lamps, a considerable portion of their radiation is directly radiated toward the ceiling. Some of the light from the inside lamps 2 and 3 also reaches the ceiling, but part is reflected downward by the reflector 40. In this way, the undesirable dark shadows on the ceiling around the reflector, present with the usual present-day fixture, are prevented, and the ceiling is utilized to direct some of the light around the room to give a very pleasing and effective type of illumination. Where direct light from the lamps is not desired the fixture described can be used with louvres.

or light-diffusing glass or the like.

The reflector 40 may be extended sldeward from its edges 44 and 43, if desired, to direct more light downward and increase the efiiciency of the unit, but it should not be extended far enough to prevent light from the outside lamps l and 4 reaching the ceiling above the fixture to prevent shadows thereon.

What I claim is:

In a fixture for tubular electric lamps having a main body channel, elongated relatively narrow enclosures secured to and extending transversely across the ends of said main body channel and extending laterally beyond the plane of the sides of said main body channel, said enclosures comprising hollow downwardly opening upper sheaths, a plurality of lamp sockets secured therein, short channel portions connected to the said upper sheaths and overlapping and secured to the end of the said main body channel, upwardly opening lower sheaths detachably secured n register to said upper sheaths to complete said enclosures, said enclosures having openings in the inner walls thereof through which the ends of the lamps extendto be received in said sockets whereby the light from the main body of at least some of the lamps is uninterrupted from above or below by any fixture element.

CARL NI'IARDY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,291,493 Naysmith July 28, 1942 2,301,238 'Alm Nov. 10, 1942 2,381,630 Wakefield Aug. 7, 1945 2,393,062 Reeves Jan. 15, 1946 2,406,104 Ranney Aug. 20, 1946 

